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Latest Update

Directing resources towards women’s economic power and health lays the foundation for long-term resilience, inclusive growth, and improved well-being for individuals and communities worldwide. Select a page to learn more about our work towards achieving women's economic power for all.

https://www.gatesfoundation.org/-/media/gfo/5ideas_articles/articles/20231005-lessons-gender-equality/hero_ideas_web-lessons-learned_ga16220836_mm616066_1200x675.jpg?rev=c3c128b74be242e6aabb58d48e3d84c1&w=1200&hash=31057911FCFA9EF1A4E1E9ACAACDBC4A

Economic empowerment is not enough. Women need economic power.

Lessons learned from a career fighting for gender equality.

By Raania Rizvi

Senior Program Officer, Women’s Livelihood Development, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

https://www.gatesfoundation.org/-/media/gfo/5ideas_articles/wep/campaign-image_women-change-the-game.png?rev=44dfdfd78311412caf5ca1524929f7e8&w=1200&hash=6CF4B9DFE26463DCCDC1ED371C9FB0EC

Women Change the Game

The WTA Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are teaming up to mobilize greater resources, visibility, and leadership for women’s health and nutrition worldwide.

Learn more
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/-/media/gfo/5ideas_articles/wep/ga17402362_nn676228_16x9.jpg?rev=6059806893c346a59fc899c53824c161&w=1200&hash=3189940AE0492A989E7B32BE4B36A905

Wave of New Commitments Marks Historic Step Towards the Elimination of Cervical Cancer

New country, policy and program commitments, plus nearly US$600 million in new funding, at first-ever global forum offer a chance to save hundreds of thousands of lives by 2030.

https://www.gatesfoundation.org/-/media/gfo/5ideas_articles/articles/20231004-melinda-french-gates-how-leaders-boost-womens-economic-power/ga17166078_ae652092_1600x1000.jpg?rev=eea9509ffb68458f91307dec9f6c115b&w=1200&hash=44F8E7DAA94CD6255157492C76B8AC45

Melinda French Gates on how leaders can boost women’s economic power

The case for doing so has never been stronger, argues the philanthropist.

By Melinda French Gates

Co-chair, Board Member, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

https://www.gatesfoundation.org/-/media/gfo/5ideas_articles/gender-equality/ga17272592_za664696_1600x1000.jpg?rev=306d2ac7860a416abbc8685a0e9f7397&w=1200&hash=0C175C92643DC96C5364EA10BF60E0D6

Global Alliance for Women’s Health

It’s proven: Closing the women’s health gap will allow more women to live healthier, higher-quality lives and boost the global economy by US$1 trillion—every year. Learn more from the Global Alliance for Women’s Health to reshape the future of women’s health.

Meet the Global Alliance for Women’s Health
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/-/media/gfo/videos/womens-economic-power-youtube-thumb_1600x1000.jpg?rev=eaed83958e5348ea9318e28b3a5a8dc9&w=1200&hash=1FBAB9E37DA312AD238ECA1127EFB8D3

What does Women’s Economic Power mean?

Why we must go beyond empowerment programs and build economic systems that work for women.

Illuminating opportunities: Data on untapped potential

Employment

26%

Estimated GDP increase by adding more women to the workforce

(2022, Closing the Gender Gap in the Workforce, Council on Foreign Relations)

Pay gap

24%

Global pay gap faced by women compared to men across the health and care sector

(2022, The Gender Gap in Pay, World Health Organization)  

Credit

$1.7T

Estimated amount of unmet demand for credit among women (in USD)

(2022, How to measure female entrepreneurship?, The World Bank)

Digital payments

80M

Number of unbanked women in developing countries receiving government transfers in cash

(2019, Banking on the future of women, IMF)

Investment

6X

Amount of capital investment received by male-owned enterprises in Africa compared to female-owned enterprises

(2019, Profiting from Parity, The World Bank)  

Child care

300M

Possible jobs generated by investing in universal child care and long-term services

(2022, Care at work, ILO)  

Policy and law

86

Number of countries where women cannot legally do the same jobs as men

(2022, Nearly 2.4 Billion Women Globally, The World Bank) 

Commitment

$80M

Investment from our foundation in 2016 to help fill some of these critical gender data gaps

More on women's financial inclusion

logoA story of digital banking in India—and a young woman’s promising career path

Digital banking lets millions of people safely receive, send, and save money without the need for cash. One young woman in India explains how this is helping her community.

logoBanking on the future of women

Poverty is not a single fact or condition, but rather a collection of them: a lack of financial assets, a lack of access to property, and a lack of voice in one's community.

logoFinancial independence through last mile service delivery

Ram Bhatari, a recipient of the India Post Payments Bank’s door to door banking effort, tells her story about her pension with digital tools.

More on child care

logoInvesting in affordable child care: good for families, children, and economic impact

Affordable child care can lead to millions of jobs for women, leading to a major economic impact. Learn more about the opportunity here.

By Yamini Atmavilas

Senior Program Officer, Gender Equality, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

logoGovernments build roads and bridges. Why is another essential piece of infrastructure, child care, built on women’s unpaid labor?

The pandemic has been devastating to women’s employment. Unless governments and the private sector start to think of child care as essential infrastructure, post-pandemic recovery plans will falter.

By Anita Zaidi

President, Gender Equality Division, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

logoWomen on philanthropy’s front lines: A conversation with Melanie Brown and Elizabeth Barajas-Román

Women’s funds have long been on the front lines of addressing persistent societal injustices. They need our support to address the harms suffered by women during the COVID-19 pandemic—from lost jobs to domestic violence.

By Melanie Brown and Elizabeth Barajas-Román

More on women’s economic power

logoMelinda French Gates highlights five women inspiring change in their communities in Rwanda and Senegal

The global advocate for women and girls shares the stories of some extraordinary women whose vision and ingenuity are creating new possibilities for their countries and industries.

By Melinda French Gates

Co-chair, Board Member, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

logoWant to grow your economy? Focus on women.

Two recent graduates in Senegal had a great idea for a business. Because they were women, banks and investors kept saying “no.”

By Sybil Chidiac

Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

logoPoverty is sexist: A Q&A with new Gender Equality Division President Anita Zaidi

New Gender Equality Division President Anita Zaidi discusses the newly created division and what it means for the foundation.

By Anita Zaidi

President, Gender Equality Division, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

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